Adjustable mandrel for collapsible



Feb. 9, 1937. 3, w, TEMPLE 2,070,540

ADJUSTABLE MANDREL FOR GOLLAPSIBLE TUBE PRINTING MACHINES Filed Nov. 8, 1935 NTOR INVE Georye W Ymple Patented Feb. 9, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ADJUSTABLE MANDREL FOR COLLAPSIBLE TUBE PRINTING MACHINES Application November 8, 1935, Serial No. 48,944

6 Claims.

This invention relates to machines for operating upon collapsible tubes as for printing on the cylindrical surfaces of such tubes, and relates particularly to the support for the mandrels on which the tubes are mounted for printing or other purposes.

In such collapsible tube making machines, a turret or face plate is provided with a plurality of rotatable mandrels, and the turret is moved intermittently to carry a tube mounted on the mandrel into position for operating thereon. Difiiculty has been experienced, however, in positioning the centers of the mandrels at the same precise distance from the center or axis of rotation of the turret, or from a printing roller. Such inaccurate positioning of the mandrels results in the failure of the printing mechanism to contact accurately with and'to properly print the surface of the tube, andalso frequently results in destruction of the tube during the mechanical mounting and dismounting of the tube on or from the mandrel.

My invention therefore contemplates the provision of means for so mounting each of the mandrels on its face plate or turret as to permit the mandrel not only to rotate freely during the printing operation, but also to permit adjustment of each of the mandrels individually in a direction radially of the turret so that all of the various mandrels will reach the same exact mounting, dismounting and printing positions and so that the printing and other operations nay be properly and accurately performed.

The various objects of my invention will be clear from the description which follows, and from the drawing, in which,

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of part of a printing roller, and of the turret of a collapsible tube printing machine showing my invention applied thereto.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary top plan view of the same, showing the adjustable mounting for the mandrel.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged front elevation of the same.

Fig. 4 is a vertical section of the same.

In that practical embodiment of my invention which I have shown by way of example, my invention has been shown and described in connection with a printing machine, in which the turret I0 is intermittently rotated by the customary means and carries a plurality of tube-receiving mandrels H. Since considerable accuracy is also required in the positioning of the mandrels for the mechanical mounting of a tube thereon and for the mechanical dismounting thereof, it will be understood that my invention may also be used in connection with such tube mounting and dismounting mechanism such as is shown for example, in the patent to Walter Prussing for Method and mechanism for making collapsible tubes, dated January 5, 1932, No. 1,839,438. Each of the mandrels ll, instead of being secured at a fixed distance from the center of the turret I0, is so mounted that it may be radially adjusted by. simple and eificient means. As shown, said means consists of a mandrel-carrying block l2 provided with a pair of tongues l3, 14 projecting in oppositedirections from the side edges thereof, and mounted to slide radially in the turret. Said block is set into a suitable notch or recess 29 made in the periphery of the turret Ill and of substantially the same size or of slightly greater size than that of the block.

The side wall l5 (Fig. 2) of the recess is grooved as at 16 for the reception of the tongue l3. The opposed side wall I! of said recess 29 is similarly grooved as at l8 for the reception of the tongue M. The thickness of the block 12 is substantially the same as that of the turret whereby it will be seen that the block may be readily inserted into and radially adjusted in the recess 29 to fill the recess, with the tongues l3 and I4 thereof entering the grooves l6 and I8 respectively. Preferably, the outer surface IQ of the block is of the same curvature as the peripheral edge of the turret.

The mandrel l l is carried rotatably by the block l2. Said block is therefore provided with an opening as for the reception of the end portion of the mandrel. Said end portion is preferably of stepped form, being provided with an end portion 2| of smallest diameter, an intermediate portion 22 of slightly larger diameter, and an inner portion 23 of larger diameter than that of the portion 22 but of smaller diameter than the remainder of the mandrel l l. Suitable anti-friction bearings such as ball bearings 24 and 25 of different diameters are arranged around the mandrel portions 2| and 23 respectively, the opening 20 of the block being suitably enlarged for the reception of said bearings. Between the bearings is the spacer bushing 5| designed to engage the inner surfaces of the ball races, and to prevent twisting of the ball races and consequent jamming or l undue friction of the ball bearings under the pressure of the printing operation. The extreme end portion 26 of the mandrel is preferably threaded for the reception of the nut 21 which serves to tighten the mandrel in its proper position to the block, the washer 28 being preferably interposed between the nut and the adjacent surface of the block. It will be seen that the mandrel may be readily inserted into the block and secured thereto and that should it be desired to operate upon tubes of different diameters or lengths, the mandrel ll may readily be removed from the block and a different one of the desired size substituted.

The means for adjusting the block I! and consequently for adjusting the position of the mandrel relatively to the center of the turret will now be described. Said means comprises the wedge 3Q having an inclined outer surface 3! arranged in contact with the correspondingly inclined surface 32 of a preferably central recess in the innermost edge 33 of the block 12. Said recess is of less width than the width of the block and extends laterally preferably completely through the block. The. wedge 30 also enters a registering recess 34 in the wall 35 of the recess 29. Secured to the front end of the wedge 30 and of sufficient length to project forwardly beyond the front face 36 of the turret is the screw 31. A nut 38 is threaded to said screw in front of the washer 39, which is suitably pierced to be mounted on the screw and is interposed between the nut and the front surface 36 of the turret.

The block 12 is secured in place in its adjusted position by means of suitable clamp plates 4|], 4! set into recesses made in the front wall 36 of the turret and adapted to engage the tongues l3, M respectively as well as the turret. Said plates are suitably cut away on their rear faces to insure proper clamping action and are secured in place by suitable means such as the screws 42, 43. By their frictional engagement with the block i2 and the turret, the plates serve to clamp said block and the mandrel carried thereby in the position in which the block is adjusted.

It will be seen that to adjust the mandrel relatively to the center, of the turret, the screws 42, 43 are loosened to lessen the full pressure upon the block, whereupon on rotation of the nut 38, the wedge 38 is moved forwardly to cause the inclined surface 3! thereof to move on the inclined surface 32 of the block and thereby to move the block outwardly of the center of the mandrel.

When the desired amount of movement has been imparted to the block, the screws 42, 43 are tightened to hold the block in its adjusted position. Should the block I2 be moved too far, the screw 37 is turned the other way and the block may be readily moved inwardly toward the center of the mandrel until the surfaces 3| and 32 are in firm contact to secure. the desired adjustment. I

'It will be seen that I have provided simple, inexpensive and eficient means for accurately adjusting the position of each individual mandrel relatively to the center of the turret and for permitting the rapid and easy replacement and adjustment of the mandrels. It will further be seen that by reason of the adjusting means described, losses in tubes due to the inaccurate positioning thereof relatively to the mounting or dismounting mechanism or to the printing roller 50 and the consequent spoilage of tubes may be entirely eliminated and that I have produced a device well adapted to meet the severe requirements of practical use.

While I have shown and described certain specific embodiments of my invention, it will be understood that I do not wish to limit myself thereto but desire to claim my invention as broadly as may be permitted by the state of the prior art and the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a machine for operating upon collapsible tubes, a turret provided with a series of spaced edge cut-outs forming recesses therein, and means fitted into and filling each of the recesses for supporting a mandrel, said means including a fiat block radially slidable in and of substantially the same thickness as that of the turret and of the recess, wedge means for engaging the innermost edge of the block for adjusting the block radially of the mandrel, and means for clamping the block in its adjusted position comprising a pair of plates each engaging an edge portion of the block and a part of the turret adjacent the recess, and means for pressing said plates laterally into, block clamping position.

2. In a machine for operating upon collapsible tubes, means for adjustably supporting a plurality of mandrels comprising a turret provided with a recess for each mandrel, the recess having parallel sides extending inwardly from the outermost edge of the turret, a block having parallel sides mounted for radial adjustment in each of the recesses, cooperating means on the parallel sides of the block and the recess for guiding the block in the radial adjustment thereof, a mandrel rotatably and removably supported by each block with the aXis of the mandrel at substantially right angles to the faces of the block, and means for clamping the block removably in the recess.

3. In a machine for operating upon collapsible tubes, a turret provided with a plurality of peripheral recesses, the opposed side walls of the recesses being grooved, a block movably inserted in each of the recesses, a tongue on each of the side walls of each of the blocks and slidable in one of the grooves when the block is moved toward and from the center of the turret, a mandrel rotatably supported by said block, and wedge means interposed between the innermost surface of the block and said turret, and movable laterally of the block to move said block outwardly and thereby to adjust the position of the block relatively to the center of the turret.

4. In a machine for operating upon collapsible tubes, an intermittently rotatable turret mutilated by a plurality of peripheral recesses, a plurality of mandrels carried by the turret, and means for adjusting each of the mandrels independently of the remaining mandrels radially of the turret to carry each of the mandrels into the same precise predetermined position on theintermittent rotation of the turret, comprising a block carrying each of the mandrels and mounted on the turret to substantially fill each of the recesses and to slide toward and from the center thereof of the turret, said block being removable from the turret and out of the recess by the outward radialmovement thereof, and means for clamping the block in its adjusted position.

5. In a machine for operating upon collapsible tubes, a turret provided with removable and radially movable flat sections each of substantially the same thickness as that of the remainder of the turret, a mandrel carried revolubly by each of the sections, means for adjusting the radial position of the sections on the turret, and means for securing the sections in the adjusted position thereof. I

6. In a machine for printing collapsible tubes, a turret, apmmut of 'mandrels, and means for securing the mandrels to the turret in equally Spaced angular relation and for adjustment radially of the turret, said means comprising a radially slidable block, means for guiding the block during the radial movement thereof means for removably and rotatably securing the mandrel to the block, means for removably securing the block to the turret including a pair of removable clamps adapted to engage the block and removable threaded means passing through the clamps and into the turret, and forcing said clamps against the block, an inclined inner surface on the block, a wedge having a similarly inclined surface engaging said inclined inner surface and interposed between the block and the turret, and means for adjusting said wedge laterally of the turret.

GEORGE W. TEMPLE. 

